HFP (High-Fiber Supplement) in MS (Multiple Sclerosis)
Status:
Enrolling by invitation
Trial end date:
2023-09-30
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
It has been suggested that dysbiosis of gut commensal bacteria increases the risk of
autoimmune diseases including MS. However, there is no viable intervention available to
correct dysbiosis. Since high-fiber supplement can promote the growth of healthy bacteria in
the gut, the investigators propose to examine the effect of specially designed high-fiber
supplement on the growth of short-chain fatty acid-producing gut bacteria and development of
regulatory immune cells.
Although dysbiosis is an alteration of microbial composition, enteric bacteria involved in
gut dysbiosis of MS are different in ethnic groups due to difference in genetics, diet, and
environmental exposures. Therefore, it is important to determine the intestinal bacterial
composition involved in the MS dysbiosis in each ethnicity and geographical location.
Additionally, it is necessary to find a non-invasive biomarker for gut dysbiosis-mediated CNS
autoimmunity in MS. Since the investigators found that fecal Lipocalin 2 (Lcn-2) is a
biomarker of gut dysbiosis-mediated CNS autoimmunity in MS animal models, the investigators
will examine the association of fecal Lcn-2 levels with disease activation in MS.